[REDCART]

Today is the 53rd anniversary of JFK's assassination. I was a sophomore in HS but remember the day like it was yesterday.

[Buffalo Jim]

I was in 8th Grade . We were in our final period of the day which was a " Homeroom Study Hall " . It was announced over our Class - room speaker system by our school Principal .
I believe that it was Friday . We watched it all weekend as reported on our very small 19 inch Black and White TV . Happened to be watching live when Ruby shot Oswald .
Wonder what % of Americans were old enough to recall the experience and are still living . Hard to believe but if JFK were still alive he would be about age 96 . Sometimes I wonder if JFK had lived what direction the Vietnam War might have taken .

[jimnc]

I was also a freshman in high school in Pennsylvania. We were having an assembly when the principal came into the gymnasium, told us what happened and sent everyone home. I was also watching live television when Ruby shot Oswald.

[Taltarzac725]

I was four so I do not remember much of it.

[paulat585]

I was a sophomore. We were sent home early. We took the city bus home from school. The usually-noisy bus was totally quiet and adults were crying. It was the first time I remember seeing my Mom cry. Was also watching when Oswald was shot.

[John_W]

Originally Posted by Buffalo Jim

I was in 8th Grade . We were in our final period of the day which was a " Homeroom Study Hall " . It was announced over our Class - room speaker system by our school Principal .
I believe that it was Friday . We watched it all weekend as reported on our very small 19 inch Black and White TV . Happened to be watching live when Ruby shot Oswald .
Wonder what % of Americans were old enough to recall the experience and are still living . Hard to believe but if JFK were still alive he would be about age 96 . Sometimes I wonder if JFK had lived what direction the Vietnam War might have taken .

I also was in the 8th grade, I had just come into the locker room from phys-ed and coach came in and announced it to everyone. I also saw Ruby shoot Oswald live on TV. I remember jumping on my bike and riding over to the park to find my dad to tell him, he was hitting golf balls.

I believe there wouldn't have been a Viet Nam if JFK had lived, I think he had told the Joint Chiefs that morning to figure out an exit plan. Imagine 53,000 Americans had not died, all the disabled both physically and mentally would have been spared, and today I still see the effects everytime I go to the VA Clinic at Mullberry.

The effects of illegal drugs on this country, I'm not saying marijuana is a gateway drug, but the introduction to so many Americans by way of Southeast Asia relaxed a lot of attitudes, especially those of a conservative background who probably would of never tried pot if it wasn't for the war. Today it seems 90% of all crime committed is tied into drugs in one way or another.

I enlisted in the Army in 1970 and after basic and school had orders for Nam, but that morning when I was to leave they were cancelled. Three weeks later I was told I was going to Korea for 13 months. I ended up on the DMZ at a small airfield that patrolled the 38th Parallel. Ironically I became fascinated by the JFK Assasination and every week when the bookmobile came by our camp I would check out a new book, I must of read about 10 books while there.

My favorite book was written by Mark Lane, former DA in New Orleans who worked with Jim Garrison. It was the book by Garrison that Oliver Stone used for his movie JFK. However, I much preferred Mark Lane's book, not so much for his conclusions but for the unusual occurences and coincidences that he brought to light which would lead anyone to disagree with the Warren Commission. If interested, pick up the book "Rush to Judgement". Mark Lane died just last year at the age of 89. Here's Mark Lane with JFK.

[Jima64]

i wonder if they will ever release all the info they have on this tragedy. Too bad they decided they had to protect the Kennedy family name all these years and not tell us the truth.

[TheDude]

I was 4 months old.

[784caroline]

Has anyone been to the Book Depository in Dallas...fascinating museum....a MUST see if you are in Dallas.

[KathieI]

OK, now that you have all made me feel VERY VERY VERY OLD..... (I was already working....)

It is a very sad day and one that we will always remember where we were when we heard the news. I was very surprised today that there wasn't much coverage of the anniversary on the major morning programs today. We must never forget this tragic day in our history.

[Buffalo Jim]

Originally Posted by John_W

I also was in the 8th grade, I had just come into the locker room from phys-ed and coach came in and announced it to everyone. I also saw Ruby shoot Oswald live on TV. I remember jumping on my bike and riding over to the park to find my dad to tell him, he was hitting golf balls.

I believe there wouldn't have been a Viet Nam if JFK had lived, I think he had told the Joint Chiefs that morning to figure out an exit plan. Imagine 53,000 Americans had not died, all the disabled both physically and mentally would have been spared, and today I still see the effects everytime I go to the VA Clinic at Mullberry.

The effects of illegal drugs on this country, I'm not saying marijuana is a gateway drug, but the introduction to so many Americans by way of Southeast Asia relaxed a lot of attitudes, especially those of a conservative background who probably would of never tried pot if it wasn't for the war. Today it seems 90% of all crime committed is tied into drugs in one way or another.

I enlisted in the Army in 1970 and after basic and school had orders for Nam, but that morning when I was to leave they were cancelled. Three weeks later I was told I was going to Korea for 13 months. I ended up on the DMZ at a small airfield that patrolled the 38th Parallel. Ironically I became fascinated by the JFK Assasination and every week when the bookmobile came by our camp I would check out a new book, I must of read about 10 books while there.

My favorite book was written by Mark Lane, former DA in New Orleans who worked with Jim Garrison. It was the book by Garrison that Oliver Stone used for his movie JFK. However, I much preferred Mark Lane's book, not so much for his conclusions but for the unusual occurences and coincidences that he brought to light which would lead anyone to disagree with the Warren Commission. If interested, pick up the book "Rush to Judgement". Mark Lane died just last year at the age of 89. Here's Mark Lane with JFK.

John : Thanks for sharing such a thoughtful and interesting Post .
I share with you the belief that JFK would NEVER have allowed us to get so deep into Vietnam .
He had already been burned by the botched " Bay of Pigs " attempt to invade Cuba and take down Castro . He also had the experience as the guy who had to stare down the USSR over " The Cuban Missile Crisis " .
I believe that Kennedy had too much direct experience with the Communists to have allowed the US to move beyond the role of " Military Advisors " and probably some form of " equipment support " .
How LBJ , who witnessed up close and personal all that Kennedy went thru , allowed himself to get us so invested in that far away very small country is something I will never understand .
I am going to order a copy of the book you mentioned in your Post .
Thanks again .

[John_W]

Originally Posted by Buffalo Jim

John : Thanks for sharing such a thoughtful and interesting Post .
I share with you the belief that JFK would NEVER have allowed us to get so deep into Vietnam .
He had already been burned by the botched " Bay of Pigs " attempt to invade Cuba and take down Castro . He also had the experience as the guy who had to stare down the USSR over " The Cuban Missile Crisis " ...

I am going to order a copy of the book you mentioned in your Post .
Thanks again .

It's been close to 50 years since I've read these books, but some of the things that you'll read about will stand out. Before Dallas, Oswald lived in New Orleans and was an advocate for "Fairplay for Cuba" organization. Oswald is seen below handing out pamplets for the group. Mark Lane believed the group was so outlandish that it's real intent was to do just the opposite, to make people resent Cuba even more. On the pamplets the address at the bottom was actually a CIA office in New Orleans.

Thinking back to Oswald's CIA connections, he was taught Russian by the Marines. While stationed in Germany he goes AWOL to Russia for 3 years. When he returns he's not punished, I had a relative in the Army in the early sixties and he went AWOL for 6 months and turned himself in, he got six months in the stockade, Oswald nothing.

You'll read how Ruby was never a big political guy or involved in politics, he ran a topless bar for the mafia. Yet, he's so motivated he has to go kill the President's assassin, sounds more like the CIA leaning on the mob to shut Oswald up forever. There's talk about the Dallas Police Officer Tippet and how he was a regular at Ruby's bar. How Oswald was found so quickly clear across town while sitting in a movie theater. There are so many unusual occurences, it makes you wonder how the truth could stay hidden for so long. Not to mention the FBI, and how J. Edgar hated the Kennedy's and what role the FBI might of played. Once you start reading these books, you'll want to get more.